Water-gate.



I PATENTED FEB. 10, 1903; w. 1). WILSON.

WATER GATE. APPLIOATIOH FILED SEPTJ5, 1902.

I0 MODEL.

I W m I fibtwnu 0.. WASH UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. WILSON, OF NEW HARMONY, MISSOURI.

WATER-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 720,207, dated February10, 1903.

' Application filed September 5, 1902. Serial No. 122,182. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM D. WILSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Harmony, in the county of Pike and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Gates; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawimmaking a part of this specification, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon.

The present invention has for its object to provide a flood or watergate designed to close the gap in a line of fence over and across astream of water which on occasion of heavy falls of rain would suddenlyrise, and thereby render it almost impossible to construct an ordinaryfence which would stand the freshet across the stream.

A further object of the invention is to make the gate sensitive to theaction of the current of the stream and such that it will offer noobstruction thereto or to the drift or floating trash, the gate beingforced down to let the drift or floating trash over and automaticallyresuming its upright position to prevent the trespass of stock or theirescape through the channel of the stream, thereby guarding the inclosureduring low water and making provision for heavy freshets and floods andthe floating trash, that would tend to injure or destroy a fence of theordinary construction.

The invention consists in a water-gate constructed substantially asshown in the drawing and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which represents a perspective view of myinvention, A B represent the fence-posts, set in the banks of a streamupon either side thereof, to which the panels a of the fence areconnected, the posts and panels being of any suitable construction foundpreferable.

The post A is of greater length than the post B and has connected to itsupper end a suitablegrooved pulley C, over which passes a suitable cableZ) of any desirable construction.

To one end of the cable I) is connected a suitable weight D, and theopposite end of the cable is connected to the outer end of a horizontalarm E, adj ustably secured to a standard F in any suitable manner, butpreferably,

by forming an eye 0 on the end of the arm to or lengthen the distancebetween the pulley and end of the arm, and thereby regulate thesensitiveness of the gate to the action of the stream of water in caseof floods of the floating trash which would come against the gate.

The gate consists of the horizontal support G, which-is pivoted at itsends to the fenceposts A B, the standard F beingconnected to thesupport, and also any desirable number or pickets H, of any preferredform and construction.

The support G is formed round or cylindrical, so as not to present anyflat sides or corners to the floating trash,thereby enabling the, trashto pass over the support without any obstruction. Were the supportsquare or flat-sided, it would form an obstruction to the floating trashboth above and under it and accumulate until suflicient to force thegate down to let the trash over, as in a flood, when the weight wouldautomatically bring the gate to an upright position, the arm strikingthe fence-post and limiting the swing of the gate.

So far as the means for operating the gateis concerned the support andthe pickets may be variously modified and changed, and any suitablefence upon either side of the gate may be employed as circumstancesrequire, and any suitable weight and pulley may be used.

It is preferable that the standard F should be of metal and flat-sidedand the eye 0 of the arm E have an opening therein that will correspondto the form of the standard, so that it will resist the strain thereonby the action of the weight,and,if desired,the standard may behorizontally adjustable on the support G, so as to bring the arm at anyangle desired with relation to the fence-post A.

In the operation of the gate in time of freshet the water will rush overthe gate and press it down parallel with the bed of the stream, and asthe water recedes the Weight will bring the gate back to its normal orupright position, closing the gap between the ends of the fence causedby the stream.

During low water the inclosure is securely guarded against the trespassof stock or their escape from the same through the channel of thestream, thereby providing a perfect and successfully-acting water-gatewhich Will be simple in construction and effective in its operation.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

A water-gate, comprising a horizontallypivoted support, vertical picketsconnected thereto, a vertical standard connected to the support, ahorizontal arm adj ustably connected to the standard, a fence-post andpulley connected thereto, and a suitable cable provided with a weightand extending over the pulley and connected to the horizontal arm,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

hi WILLIAM D. X WILSON.

H1811 Witnesses:

GEO. W. WILLIAMS, E. L. BIRKHEAD.

